I'm a technology, privacy, and information security reporter and most recently the author of the book This Machine Kills Secrets, a chronicle of the history and future of information leaks, from the Pentagon Papers to WikiLeaks and beyond.
I've covered the hacker beat for Forbes since 2007, with frequent detours into digital miscellania like switches, servers, supercomputers, search, e-books, online censorship, robots, and China. My favorite stories are the ones where non-fiction resembles science fiction. My favorite sources usually have the word "research" in their titles.
Since I joined Forbes, this job has taken me from an autonomous car race in the California desert all the way to Beijing, where I wrote the first English-language cover story on the Chinese search billionaire Robin Li for Forbes Asia. Black hats, white hats, cyborgs, cyberspies, idiot savants and even CEOs are welcome to email me at agreenberg (at) forbes.com. My PGP public key can be found here.

Did Security Firms Pitch Bank Of America On Sabotaging WikiLeaks?

Bank of America may be in a state of WikiLeaks-induced anxiety after Assange’s remarks in November that the secret-spilling site plans to release a trove of documents leaked from a major U.S. bank. But where America’s largest bank sees a crisis, a group of security firms may have seen an opportunity.

According to a report at the tech news site Tech Herald, data intelligence firms including Palantir, Berico and HBGary were all recruited by the law firm Hunton & Williams to propose ways of subverting or sabotaging WikiLeaks on behalf of Bank of America. Those plans were found in the hacked email account of HBGary executive Aaron Barr, after he was targeted by the loose hacker group Anonymous in retaliation for what the group believed was an attempt to infiltrate its ranks and identify members to the FBI. (Forbes reporter Parmy Olson interviewed Barr about the ongoing incident Tuesday.)

Among the files pulled from those 50,000 stolen emails are what appear to be suggestions by the firm and its collaborators about how WikiLeaks could be weakened, sabotaged or shut down. The emails suggest the three security firms were pulled together at the request of the law firm Hunton & Williams. One month into the talks, Booz Allen Hamilton was also brought in as a consultant, as the New York Times reported in January.

You can see the full presentation they’re believed to have put together for Bank of America here.

Given the circuitous route these documents have taken, their authenticity can’t be verified, though their level of detail would require immense effort on the part of counterfeiters. HBGary released a statement after the Anonymous hacking incident asking the public to “please be aware that any information currently in the public domain is not reliable because the perpetrators of this offense, or people working closely with them, have intentionally falsified certain data.”

Assuming the files obtained by the Tech Herald are real, they point to hardball tactics on the part of the three security firms. One PowerPoint slide with Palantir’s logo suggests cyberattacks and misinformation to weaken the group’s appearance of security, and a media campaign to highlight WikiLeaks’ “radical and feckless” nature. Another slide suggests targeting WikiLeaks’ supporters, including Salon.com journalist Glenn Greenwald. Which, if any, of the company’s suggestions were adopted isn’t clear.

In an interview, Palantir spokesperson David Worn wouldn’t confirm or deny that it’s working with Bank of America or any of the other firms, nor would he comment on the authenticity of the slides–in fact, he says that Palantir employees have been advised by their lawyers to treat the data as stolen property and avoid even looking at them.

But Worn emphasized that the Palo-Alto company only builds software for data analysis–it doesn’t advise companies on launching cyberattacks or taking other offensive measures. “This is definitely an area where we help provide an analytical platform,” Worn says. “But as far as condoning any kind of hacking or unethical activities, we absolutely don’t do that.”

Neither HBGary, Berico, nor Hunton & Williams responded to a request for comment. A Bank of America spokesperson responded in a statement that “Neither Bank of America or any of its vendors have engaged HBGary Federal in this matter,” and declined to comment further.

Assange himself seems to be enjoying the anticipation. “I think it’s great to have all these banks squirming, thinking maybe it’s them,” Assange said in a 60 Minutes interview last week. If that squirming is drumming up business for security firms, they may be enjoying it, too.

Post Your Comment

Post Your Reply

Forbes writers have the ability to call out member comments they find particularly interesting. Called-out comments are highlighted across the Forbes network. You'll be notified if your comment is called out.

Comments

Andy, I got to tell ya pal. Having paid close attention to all things wikileaks since the release of the helicopter video. My premonitions have led me to almost prophetic abilities when it comes to the abject fear that the Bankers and Govt. Have displayed in the past couple of months. Its almost sad to watch unfold. Since it would appear that the full weight of the US and other Governments have failed to shut wikileaks down. The FBI raids on college dorms, smear campaigns on Assange The threats, and etc. I have noticed over the last three days that now, It appears that the current tactic and mode of operation has turned to just denying the validity of the documents. Reminds me of the 60 minutes show devoted to catching the crooked TV repair shops. When confronted with the video from the hidden video cam tapes. They just stood their and point blank lied, while looking straight into the interviewers eyes. Almost comical. If it was not so sad.

All one has to do is read between the lines to know what is the real driving force behind the furor over cablegate. It’s Assanges Thermo Nuke Insurance Bomb. When the FBI shows up at 40 college dorms with a broad sweeping search and seizure order and do nothing more than take every students communications and electronic devices and arrest nobody. That tells me they are NOT after “ANON” group people. They are casting a wide net in search of somebody that Assange might have trusted with a copy of his 256 bit encryption key. That file has all lot of people really rattled. Lets talk potentials. What if that file has banking records showing that the trucking firm that appeared out of nowhere with what looked like 50 plus trucks delivering dirt and hauling away wreckage from the WTC on the very evening of 911. Had been contracted and arrangements made before 911. Just a thought that ran thru somebody’s mind. My guess probably just one of those conspiracy nut jobs. Or maybe there is documentation that shows where that 2.3 Trillion dollars that our military seems to have misplaced went to. As I recall Rummy told us about that on the eve. Of 9-10-2001. Whatever it is that is in that file. All I can say is. Somebody is very afraid of it.

As I stated heyguise I was just trying to understand the voracity, energy, manpower, resources and money being thrown at. Assange and wikileaks. Its just a gut level feeling that there is more than meets the eye going on.